iBurst nails existing subscribers

[doc_msk]

"iBurst recently reduced the price of its wireless broadband packages, but existing subscribers are not lucky enough to automatically qualify for the discounted rates."

This is something I would have expected from Telkom, not from iBurst. Quite frankly I think this is disgusting. I have been an iBurst user since almost the beginning. This news has come at just the right time, since this week at my company we are going to discuss a corporate-wide mobile broadband solution for our out of office staff. At least we don't need to consider iBurst, even if other offerings are going to be a little more expensive. If this is how iBurst do business we don't want an a large corporate account with them, who knows what they might pull later on.

We as consumers must try and use our collective buying power to stop this sort of behaviour. Only we can. The regulator is impotent when it comes to firm action in favour of the consumer. Come on South Africa, lets act against this blatant profiteering. (I am a British expat, would have written an email to the BBC TV prog WatchDog that names and shames companies like this).

 

[RVFmal]

"iBurst recently reduced the price of its wireless broadband packages, but existing subscribers are not lucky enough to automatically qualify for the discounted rates."

This is something I would have expected from Telkom, not from iBurst. Quite frankly I think this is disgusting. I have been an iBurst user since almost the beginning. This news has come at just the right time, since this week at my company we are going to discuss a corporate-wide mobile broadband solution for our out of office staff. At least we don't need to consider iBurst, even if other offerings are going to be a little more expensive. If this is how iBurst do business we don't want an a large corporate account with them, who knows what they might pull later on.

We as consumers must try and use our collective buying power to stop this sort of behaviour. Only we can. The regulator is impotent when it comes to firm action in favour of the consumer. Come on South Africa, lets act against this blatant profiteering. (I am a British expat, would have written an email to the BBC TV prog WatchDog that names and shames companies like this).

What they are doing hear is blatant profiteering at the expense of existing subscribers and I will not be party to this.

I one hundred percent agree with your view point that consumers need to take a harsher stance against acts such as this and voice their disapproval loudly and clearly.

At the moment, iBurst are getting 702 to run advertising for the new web phone and their apparent rates, and while 702 may not entertain the thought of possibly running a show on a consumer boycott of their products at present, we can at least raise the issue and get it some airtime.

I personally will be drafting a strongly worded letter that I will be sending out to each and every publication for hopeful publication and will continue to do so until we make it known that companies such as iBurst are screwing the end-user over at every opportunity.

 

[fishfly]

I personally will be drafting a strongly worded letter that I will be sending out to each and every publication for hopeful publication and will continue to do so until we make it known that companies such as iBurst are screwing the end-user over at every opportunity.

problem is every company is doing exactly the same... so what's the difference if this one is also following the trend...

Put is simply and bluntly no matter how much noise we make if a person thinks a service is justifiable or in some cases CHEAP they will still pay to utilize the service... why? cos there is no such thing as consumer activisim... we in SA just get screwed out of things that we want...

 

[RVFmal]

problem is every company is doing exactly the same... so what's the difference if this one is also following the trend...

Put is simply and bluntly no matter how much noise we make if a person thinks a service is justifiable or in some cases CHEAP they will still pay to utilize the service... why? cos there is no such thing as consumer activisim... we in SA just get screwed out of things that we want...

The reason why every company is doing the same is for the exact reason you mentioned - no consumer activism.

If we somehow managed to change that we may see a change in the attitudes of the companies, but it is a long and hard process. some progress has been made, MyAdsl being an example of this. It is now a question of continuous building thereon to push the envelope further and make inroads into waking companies up to the fact that the days of ignoring the customer are numbered.

 

[limnos]

Okay so let me understand something, as I have been out the iBurst scene for a while.

I need to pay iBurst R200 in order to migrate to their new lower tarrifs? Which gains me an extra 2GB a month? Currently paying R599 p/m.

Then when I am on that tariff, does that automatically enable my PPU? And I do not get soft-capped?

Very confused... Please bare with me gents.....

 

[ambo]

Okay so let me understand something, as I have been out the iBurst scene for a while.

I need to pay iBurst R200 in order to migrate to their new lower tarrifs? Which gains me an extra 2GB a month? Currently paying R599 p/m.

Then when I am on that tariff, does that automatically enable my PPU? And I do not get soft-capped?

Very confused... Please bare with me gents.....

If you choose to migrate to a package that costs less per month that the one you are currently on then you will have to pay a fee of R199. This is a fee that has been in place for a long time.

When you migrate you have the option between PPU and soft-cap. PPU is the default if you do not specify.

 

[RVFmal]

Your message

To: Shaun Green; Accounts; Thami Mtshali
Subject: Re: Last Straw
Sent: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:38:06 +0200

was deleted without being read on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:51:29 +0200

And this is the sort of respect that one can expect from the bunch of clowns at WBS/iBurst.

 

[MrH]

@RVFmal, this is exactly the sort of response I expected from those 2 arrogant iburst idiots, hopefully threads like this will open peoples eyes before signing up with this useless company.

 

[DarkWater]

And this is the sort of respect that one can expect from the bunch of clowns at WBS/iBurst.

"Your message

To: Shaun Green; Accounts; Thami Mtshali
Subject: Re: Last Straw
Sent: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:38:06 +0200

was deleted without being read on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:51:29 +0200 "

I almost said the 4 letter word

 

[GreatBigMouth]

OMG is that the response you got???

 

[RVFmal]

@RVFmal, this is exactly the sort of response I expected from those 2 arrogant iburst idiots, hopefully threads like this will open peoples eyes before signing up with this useless company.

And it is not the first time either. Of the mails that I have sent in regards this specific subject, I have not had ONE response and 40% of them have been deleted.

I have not even done a audit on all the mails I have sent this p!ss poor company.

I am now going to devote a huge amount of time to ensure that iBurst are exposed for exactly what they are. I'll be damned if I (or any other subscriber or subscriber to be) is going to be subjected to this atrocious, unsavoury and completely unacceptable 'service'.

I was always of the mindset that I would give them the benefit of the doubt, but no more. This is the straw that broke the camels back.

 

[Mercury]

I need to pay iBurst R200 in order to migrate to their new lower tarrifs? Which gains me an extra 2GB a month? Currently paying R599 p/m.

No fee because you aren't paying them less per month and you can elect out of PPU. Why they couldn't do this automatically is beyond me. Oh. That would mean you were getting an extra 1.5GB a month. That you could use. Getting you to jump through some hoops first hopefully discourages behaviour like that!

 

[fishfly]

Strange why did online direct tell me that the default is NO PPU...

well I did specify that I wanted NOOOOO PPU but I suspect if they don't put me on the NO ppu - I'll have to battle with them for another 2 months before they sort that out...

sigh

guess I should go stick it out with the devil everyone knows... instead of the devil we don't

 

[S1ght]

What happened to our Iburst rep here on the forum?

 

[ambo]

Strange why did online direct tell me that the default is NO PPU...

Cause most of the resellers have figured out how to earn the most brownie points with their clients

 

[cavaliersa]

iburst are missing the plot on this one and it is most definitely profiteering, it's almost implied as much when they say "...an administration fee of R 199 has always been charged for downward migrations." How is it a downward migration if they have changed the packages/rates they offer/charge? You aren't actually downgrading, you are upgrading, you are asking for more service. It's like trying to exchange your money into pounds for a data when the exchange rated suited you better "Oh, it's R15 but it was R8 the other day so I'll exchange my money at that rate please". Yeah right...get a clue! PATHETIC!

 

[Shaun Green]

Mail received and not deleted.

Hi Craig

I have sent this onto our migrations/retentions department.

should you not be contacted please call me on my cellular (084-978-0790).

Cheers

Shaun

And this is the sort of respect that one can expect from the bunch of clowns at WBS/iBurst.

 

[GreatBigMouth]

What happened to our Iburst rep here on the forum?

It seems you summoned him after saying that.

 

[viceroy]

Okay, so how is this extra 1.5Gb different from when they gave us all 500mb on our accounts...oh yeah...this time they charge us...

Lets just say that if I'm able to get ADSL when I move house...iBurst will be dropped quicker than a hot plate

 

[doc_msk]

iBurst reduces migration fee

OK, so iBurst have reduced their migration fee. To me that is not acceptable. This move highlights the fact that even after all the comments made in this thread iBurst are not listening to their customers, to the people who pay their salaries and make their shareholders happy.

If one reflects on what the tone of iBurst customers would have been if iBurst had made an announcement that said "iBurst today reduced it's tariffs, existing subscribers have automatically been migrated to the new tariffs". iBurst customers would have thought to themselves, "Wow, a South African company that actually cares about its customers, bravo iBurst". You couldn't buy that sort of positive customer feel-good factor with millions of rands of advertising.

As a shareholder in iBurst [I am not, just speaking figuratively] I would be asking my fellow board members what sort of people are actually running this company, and what is its future in an environment with more competition in the future.

As an iBurst customer I am looking for an alternative. The only thing that will keep me with iBurst is a gesture from them that all existing customers will be moved to the new lower tariffs if they so choose at NO COST.

Come on people, WE ARE THE CUSTOMERS. We don't want to be associate with companies that carry out their business in this way. We can make a difference. Speak up South Africa.